Each paradox is optional

Manuel Arturo Abreu

All is possible, the impossible too.All is real, the unreal too.All is justice, the injustice too.All life is complex, the simple life too.All people are actors, the non-actors too.All can be happy, even the unhappy.It’s so near, yet so far away.All is weird, the natural too.All is joyful, the sorrow too.

Not to speak is a better speech.Not to complain is a better complaint.Unattractive is better than attractive.Slow is better than fast.No government is a better government.A non-ruler is a better ruler.No news is good news.Not to stare is better than to look.Not to love is a better love.Not to move is a better move.Impoliteness is a better politeness.Not to hear is better than not listening.No reaction is the best reaction.Not to show kindness is a better kindness.No fight is a better fight.

Only a rumor is truly a gossip.Only a fiction is truly a fact.Only normal is truly not normal.Nobody is truly a ‘somebody’.Only fiction is truly real.The friend is the most dangerous hidden enemy.Only you are truly not you.Only mercy can be truly merciless.If you spit at the sky, it will fall in your face.Only gentleness is truly wild.

This is so true that it looks false.This is so ripe that it looks spoiled.This is so friendly that it looks hostile.He seemed so trustworthy that he looks untrustworthy.This is so fake that it looks real.This is so proper that it looks improper.This is so beautiful that it looks unreal.This is so simple that it looks difficult.Can’t see the trees for the forest.

Some people trick and don’t trick at the same time.Some people play and don’t play at the same time.Some of life’s experiences are punishments and rewards at the same time.Some exercise is exhausting but also invigorating at the same time.

Some children listen and do not really listen at the same time.Some teachers teach and don’t teach at the same time.Some people spell and misspell at the same time.

A sage thinks even when he doesn’t think.I exist when I don’t exist.A clown is funny even when they aren’t being funny.To die of thirst surrounded by water.To be a poet and not know it.A mother worries even when she doesn’t worry.To believe even when you don’t believe.Is matching even when not-matching.I sleep even when I am awake.Always running around.To dream, even when not sleeping.

This silence is enough noise.This vacation from work is enough work.This superiority brings enough inferiority.This day is enough my night.This diary is enough non-diary.This sleep is enough awake.This sweet truthfulness is enough sarcasm.This table of four is enough for six people.I had enough.

Not to speak sometimes means to speak.Not to touch sometimes means to touch.To preserve peace sometimes means going to war.To destroy life sometimes means to preserve life.Not to listen sometimes means to listen.Two feet forward sometimes means standing still.Not to litter sometimes means to litter.Speeding is sometimes not speeding.Not to show anger is sometimes to show anger.

Hell without hell.Style without style.The rule applied: there were no rule!Our culture is our lack of culture.Live without living.Some people are so afraid of death, that they do not live.Work without work.Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.Death without death.Guilt without guilt.Someone who is guilty but does not feel guilty.

Movement inside the immobility.Silence within the noise.Slavery within the freedom.Loneliness within a crowd.A circle within a circle.The wrestling ring inside a square.To find wealth in poverty.

Immobility inside the movement.Noise inside the silence.Government. Bureaucracies.Inequality inside the equality.Single inside the marriage.Anger inside the happiness.Warmth inside the cold.Cold inside the heat.Void inside the fullness.Fullness inside the void.Laughing without being happy.

To see what one can’t see.To hear what one can’t hear.To taste what one can’t taste.To smell what one can’t smell.To touch what one can’t touch.To say what one can’t say.To know what one can’t know.To wait when one can’t wait.To breath what one can’t breathe.To feel what one can’t feel.To love what one can’t love.To believe what one can’t believe.

Let’s strike by not striking.Let’s talk by not talking.Let’s vote by not voting.Let’s help by not helping.Let’s justify by not justifying.Let’s win by not winning.Let’s strip by not stripping.Let’s fight by not fighting.Let’s kill by not killing.

The benefits we get from non-benefits.The smoke we got from non-smokers.The rewards we get from hard work.The service we get from non-service.The god that comes from bad.The pleasure we get from the pain.

The bad is good.The good is bad.The mirror is a mirror.Work is a blessing.Sometimes ugly is beauty.Beauty is in the eye of the beholden.You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince.Hurt is healing.“There is no absolute” is an absolute.Not to commit any error is an error